Enzo Maresca's move to Manchester City has already reopened the Chelsea story. The more immediate question is whether Malo Gusto becomes the player most closely linked to it, with reports saying City are looking at a specialist right-back and that Gusto is open to the move.

Maresca's City return and Chelsea's reaction

The reunion itself is already loaded enough. Chelsea are set to face City on December 12 at the Etihad Stadium and return to Stamford Bridge on April 24, which gives the fixture list a direct line back to Maresca’s old club.

His Chelsea spell lasted 18 months and ended on New Year’s Day. Before stepping down, he won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, then apologised for the timing of his exit, saying: “I recognise that my departure from Chelsea in the middle of the season caused disruption for the club and I apologise for that.”

He also said: “At the end of December 2025, I made the difficult decision to leave Chelsea. The decision was only mine.” The two source timelines do not line up neatly, but the broad point is the same: his exit came during the season and Chelsea felt the impact.

Why Gusto is the player in the frame

City’s interest is not built on a random name. Gusto has 149 Chelsea appearances, 3 goals and 17 assists, so this is not a fringe-player rumour. It is a proper recruitment question about whether City want a full-back with enough output to fit a possession side and enough experience to step straight into a top-end squad.

Chelsea’s side of the story is less comfortable. They are reportedly open to selling, but the valuation debate is not settled, with one report putting City’s preferred fee at £50 million and Chelsea’s asking price at £60 million. Gusto is under contract until 2030, so Chelsea are not under pressure to move him on cheaply.

The point is simple enough. Maresca’s reunion with Chelsea is no longer just about the past, because the first live transfer link around his return points straight at one of Chelsea’s most established full-backs.

City finished second in the Premier League, which is the sort of platform that makes a right-back chase believable rather than decorative. Chelsea and City meet twice in the league, and the first meeting on December 12 is already one of the sharper dates on the calendar.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →